


Blood In the Cut

by Carmenghia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Anal Play, Angst, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Light Dom/sub, Oral Sex, Past Violence, Sex, Teasing, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:42:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23744761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmenghia/pseuds/Carmenghia
Summary: A new bounty hunter plays a dangerous game.
Relationships: The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Character(s), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	Blood In the Cut

**Author's Note:**

> Set a bit before the events of the series. I also haven’t written for a fandom in almost 10 years, so this is me dipping my toe back in and exercising my unused fanfiction writing muscles. Also my Star Wars universe knowledge is not vast so if anything is wildly wrong, tell me! 
> 
> Warning: Some talk of past violence against OFC.

\---

“Shhh, I promise it won’t hurt a bit.” She purred, her tongue darting out as she bit her lip, playing to her audience of one. 

The air around them was stale, the din loud, but she was giving it her all to weave her spell. Her leather-clad leg brushed against his, the closeness causing her mark to sweat profusely, his hands sloppily reaching for her hips but finding only air as she expertly moved to keep herself just out of reach. 

“You...you...promise?” He was a little tipsy, but mostly punch-drunk on a pretty lady who showed him even the slightest bit of kindness. 

She nodded slowly, her smile wide and plastered perfectly poised to project seduction. She had practiced that smile for years. And she knew she had him. 

Truth was, she had all about given up on this particular bounty. Weeks of tracking him; and he seemed to stay one step ahead each time. She’d seen his ship leave Datoonine; and then missed him by two days on Ajan Kloss, a total bust on some rocky moon that she swore he was headed for until she finally found him sitting alone, unguarded in a tiny cantina on the wrong side of Ord Mantell. 

“Hmmm. It will be our special little game.” She whispered, one hand near her blaster, and the other fingering her favorite toy, her trusty binders. “You like games, don’t you?” The question hung in between them, eyes-wide in innocence, like she was the only thing he could trust in the galaxy. 

“I...like..uh...Sabacc…” His grip on the bar tightened as she twirled the cuffs in her hand.

“Then you’ll love this, Torin Corcer.” The words tumbled out fast and venomous and before he could react to the sound of his name, she secured the cuffs, the whirl of the electric lock the sweet sound of success for such dirty work.

“What..how do you know my name?” He was still dazed, but was quickly coming to the reality of the situation.

“Not a word.” Her voice drew deep as the puck was placed on the bar, his rotating image reflecting back.

The Twi’lek narrowed his eyes, embarrassed he’d been fooled. “I’m going to gut you like a dirty Bantha the minute I get out of these cuffs.” Torin struggled, and she laughed heartily as the blunt-end of her blaster met his head, the satisfying thwap of metal connecting with skull. 

“Good luck with that.” She moved her hand over the small controller, the shock surprising him, a loud _kriff_ vibrating through the noise in the bar. 

“Now, are you going to walk, or do I need to drag you through the streets like a dog?” Her eyes still twinkled, and she could swear that she saw a little bit of hope of something more in her bounty’s eyes.

“Not a chance in the galaxy, Corcer.” 

\---

It only took a week before he made himself known. Such _restraint_ from the seemingly unflappable Mandalorian. 

She knew the heat of her success would start to bear down the minute she heard Karga talk about him after her last run. Torin had been the second largest bounty the Guild had, and she knew that Mando thought it was his for the taking - but he had been off-world, wrangling another long-standing bounty. Kor had brought home three other vagrants, seemingly cleaning up all the other best bounties that were currently on offer, leaving the bounty hunting business a bit bleaker for the time being, at least if you were married to the idea of Guild work. 

And that’s why she was holding court at the cantina begrudgingly, trying to coax some work out of Karga to keep her restlessness at bay. She wasn’t exactly thrilled with the prospect of hanging around when she could be out wrestling bounties and making credits. 

“There’s gotta be something...this last batch barely covers fuel and repairs.” She huffed. So much for steady work. 

“Relax, Kor, Relax. I’ve got something special for you.” He took a generous swig of his drink as he motioned to the bartender for more. 

Kor sipped what passed for clean water in the joint, itching to get back out and work. Anytime someone said something was ‘special’, it was actually terrible, and no one else wanted to do it, but she’d humor him until she gave it a hard pass, no matter how badly she wanted the credits. 

Joining the Guild hadn’t been an easy choice; she was used to being her own boss, but times were tough and the thought of some pay rather than no pay was enough for Karga to convince her to “just try it out.” 

The air shifted as the door opened, and Kor turned her head to see the unmistakable silhouette of a man in Mandalorian armor. Her eyes scanned him up and down, catching the poised confidence in his stature. She was always a sucker for a man in uniform. Not that she’d let him know that. 

He walked straight over to Karga’s booth and sat down, setting his rifle far away from Kor, with not so much as an indication of interest in her existence. If he knew who she was, he wasn’t letting on, and if he didn’t, she assumed he would soon enough ask Greef to dismiss her. 

“Wonderful! Mando, perfect timing! I’ve got you both here!” Karga gestured in her direction, his eyes mirthful. “This is the devastating and gorgeous Kor Shinte.”

“You’re Kor Shinte.” The helmet tilted just enough that the statement hung more like a surprise rather than a given. 

Kor rolled her eyes at Karga’s introduction. 

“In the flesh!” She flashed her eyes, her posture assertively straight. Sure, he knew her name, but they’d never actually met. Kor didn’t _look_ like a bounty hunter, or so she’d been told. She also thought it was stupid that a bounty hunter was supposed to look like something. She was tall but compact, favoring black tactical leather as her outfit of choice. Her black and purple hair boldly wound into two thick braids. She lined her dark eyes, making them stand out even more, especially when she let her black hood frame her face. Yeah, she stood out on her worst days, but she never minded it. Where it counted, her actions always showed that she was dead serious about her job. Underestimating her was always a mistake. 

His shoulders shifted and he rolled his neck slightly, either as a tick or force of habit. Kor filed it away as an indication of annoyance. 

“So what’s the job, Karga?” Mando barked, seemingly having as much patience for their boss as she did. She sort of liked him already. 

“ _Jobs_ , Mando. Four of them. The client wants them all brought back. _Alive_ and together. And the client specifically told me he wants a team on this so no one gets away.They are Black Sun...adjacent. Apparently they’ve been hopped on Spice and are on a long burn. So, my two best hunters, against four errant criminals who crossed the wrong gang. I’m offering this to you both - it’s a package deal. Either one walks away, I’ve got to find two new hunters.”

“Where are the pucks, I want to see who I’m dealing with.” Her methods were probably not the same as her potential partner’s, and she wanted to figure out if she was going to be a lover or fighter when it came to bringing this lot of shiteaters in. 

Karga placed the pucks on the table, illuminating all at once. 

“So two humans, a Klatoonian, and a _Zabrak?_ ” Kor raised an eyebrow slightly. “Motley bunch.”

Mando nodded. “The cut?” 

“Bring them all in, alive, and the entire job is 20,000 flan, two heavy blasters and five ingots of beskar.”

The man next to her leaned forward, his voice strained and seethed, “What are they doing with beskar?”

Karga shook his head. “No questions, Mando, right?” 

She felt the tension rise and Kor quickly made up her mind. In a way, she welcomed it, because she knew just how good he was and the truth was, she was dying to see him in action. An unholy alliance could be fun, and profitable. 

“I’m 50/50 on the flan and blaster. The beskar is all yours, Mando. I’m all in, sounds like an adventure.” The Mandalorian shifted slightly next to her, his arms resting on the table as he turned toward her. 

“60/40 on the flan. Keep the second blaster and I keep the beskar. My ship, and that’s non-negotiable.” 

She rolled the deal over in her head. She had no use for the beskar at all. Mandalorians, although tough, had honor and she had no reason to think he’d back out or somehow try to cross her. 

“Deal. When do you want to leave?”

“Tonight. 2000 hours. I’ll send coordinates.” The Mandalorian grabbed his rifle and stood, his posture purposeful as he left the cantina.

Kor turned back to Karga. “Not a man of many words, is he?” 

Karga laughed. “You’ve got no idea.” 

\---

As dusk settled into night, the barest of illumination from the rag-tag buildings began to come alive. He’d intentionally landed the Crest a fair walk outside of the city; the less eyes watching his comings and goings, the better. 

He wasn’t exactly thrilled with the prospect of a partner for a job. Sure, he’d done it here and there, and had that short run with Ran’s crew, but Kor was an unknown quantity. Having a partner meant trust and that was always in short supply. He’d only heard she’d brought in a handful of bounties in record time and that she sometimes used unconventional methods. With four Spice-hyped killers, he didn’t want to take any chances. 

The only reason he agreed to the job in the first place was the beskar. A few ingots seemed like a small reward, but he knew bringing them back to the covert would be a symbol of renewal for their small numbers.

He was finishing up a small repair on the outside of the ship when he heard footsteps behind him. With a quick step and turn, his blaster was focused on Kor, whose hands were up, shaking her head with a smile. 

“Whoa there! Don’t go killing your partner before we start. Just me, remember? Met at the cantina, doing a job together, devastatingly gorgeous?” Kor laughed as she hoisted her pack higher up on her shoulders. 

He could see her properly for the first time. As tall as he was, and strong, an obviously modified short blaster on her left side, and a large vibroblade holstered on her right. He approved of her weapons. Quick, useful, and utilitarian. What he hadn’t noticed in the cantina was a large scar that traveled from the right side of her forehead, past her eye and cheek, down to her neck, settling in a round circle past her clavicle. It wasn’t fresh, but looked ragged, like whatever had done it had made sure it lasted. While her voice was light, her look was all business. 

“You ready?” 

“Ready as I’ll ever be. So what do you think? Last known location was Bittu.” 

“Start there.” He turned back to finish attaching the patch of metal. “Ramp is open, cargo downstairs, ladder up to the pit.”

“Got it. By the way, Karga called you Mando. Is that what you go by?” Kor looked at him, without malice, seemingly wanting a simple answer.

“Mando’s fine.” 

“Great. I’ll make myself at home, then!” She called as she walked up the ramp, disappearing into the bottom hold of the Crest. 

Mando shook his head. It had been a long time since someone had been in his space, and he hoped that the beskar was worth the hassle that he knew was due to come his way. 

\---

He secured the ramp and moved up to the cockpit. True to her word, Kor had made herself comfortable in the co-pilot’s chair, nose deep in the Holonet, eyes darting between the information and a tiny notebook. He assumed she was pulling more intel on the bounties, something Mando had not felt the need to do. But her focus made him think she enjoyed the intel as much as the hunt. He didn’t realize he was staring in her direction until she looked up, straight into his visor.

Kor excitedly shared what she found. “Looks like the two humans are brothers and have a long rap sheet; and last got caught smuggling sniper rifles. Wonder if they are actual good shots, or lazy hired grunts? The other two look like average bumbling criminals - should be easy to manipulate into submission.” 

“We’ll assess the situation when we actually find them.” He sat down to start his pre-flight checks. The ship had been giving him trouble the last time he was out and the last thing he needed was to be stranded somewhere with someone else.

She mock huffed and Mando found it a touch amusing. 

“You mean to tell me the fabled Mandalorian doesn’t...prepare?” Mando noticed she had moved on, and was now studying the atmosphere and surface of Biitu, the 3-D terraform maps shifting and turning as the pad in her lap moved. 

“I prepare where it counts.” He asserted, his body rigid and chest puffed as he entered coordinates into the navcomp. He was hoping she wouldn’t pepper him with research tidbits the entire way - there was no use in knowing everything. All that mattered was when you were in front of someone, and if they’d come willingly or if they’d put up a fight. 

Kor took the hint and dug back into her research, her face lit by the soft glow of the datapad as he lowered the lights in the cockpit for travel. 

The silence stretched for a while, and Mando was relieved she had directed her energy back to shifting through data. 

He knew nothing of her background but she did seem an odd fit for a hunter. There was no doubt she was strong, no doubt that she could back up any boasts, and no doubt that she was already impressing people with her prowess. But she seemed to be able to disengage from the work in a way that he never had. She looked perfectly at ease, legs crossed, arms propped up on her thighs, completely focused now in what looked like the agriculture of Biitu. It was like she was going on vacation, instead of into a firefight. 

He saw work as an extension of duty, and of protecting his people in ways he couldn’t when he was younger. It was distracting to even have her here, alien to him to be forced to react to another person in the tiny confines of his ship. 

He’d heard that she’d been a freelancer; and that she worked for a rich landowner for a while, hustling small bounty jobs until she’d landed back working for the Rebellion, and then a few ramshackle operations in the Core. He imagined she may have even run with a crew like Ran’s back in the day. 

Mando relaxed a bit as they left Nevarro’s orbit and settled into a route. The navcomp estimated it would take them eight hours to get to Biitu, give or take. 

He turned his head slightly. 

“Kor?” Her eyes were still down, lost in whatever new information had captured her interest. 

No answer. He raised his voice. “Shinte?” She snapped up, blinking rapidly. Whatever she was looking at seemed to be unsettling, but Mando refused to press. 

“We’ll be there in eight hours. There is a cot downstairs if you want to rest.” 

Kor seemed to snap out of whatever was pulling her attention. She patted the arms of the chair. “I’m fine here. But I could use the vac tube.”

“Down the ladder, straight ahead. Doesn’t have a door.” 

She jumped up quickly, the datapad discarded for the moment. 

“Why would you need one?” Mando could hear her laughter as she jumped down the ladder, apparently amused that he did not in fact, have a door. 

By instinct he checked his vambrace; the weapons locker was secure, and he listened to see if she lingered downstairs any longer than he thought necessary. 

Seconds passed and she was ascending the ladder; he appreciated someone who wasted no time in doing what was needed. And even more, he was glad that unlike most people, she seemingly respected his privacy. 

She settled back into the seat next to him and scooped the datapad back up, no words spoken as she focused her eyes downward, braids swinging gently with the motion of the ship. 

The one thing that he picked up on was that she didn’t seem to mind that he didn’t crave conversation. It was rare that someone didn’t feel like they had to create a space around him, filling in with idle words in an effort to maintain a sense of normalcy. 

“I’m going to jump to hyperspace soon. Buckle up.” 

“Uh huh, not my first jump, Mando. I’m fine.” He caught the small smile illuminated by the datapad, as she buckled up.

He couldn’t help smile to himself; his gaze soft behind his helmet as he took a moment to just look at his new partner and admire her ease with the world around her - something that he had in short supply. He found himself warm to the thought of knowing more about her, and he shook his head, trying to keep the fuzzy thoughts from invading him. 

_Who was this woman?_

\---

Kor was applying the gel when she heard him stir across from her. She never slept long, just enough to let her body reset. Earlier, when she woke, she could see that Mando was still asleep, his helmet lulled to one side, his body outstretched, hands folded over one another in what she could only assume was his ‘comfortable’ pose. It was actually a little sweet, a Mandalorian at rest was a rare occurrence, as it was easy to forget there was a human under all that armor and power. 

Finishing up her work, she smoothed one finger down the rough skin, ensuring she covered it all. The position of the scar meant that it pulled at times, and the gel helped keep the tough tissue as elastic as possible.

“Is there a story behind the scar?” He was up and alert, his fingers idly tracing over details on the computer. 

“Yes.” She was surprised at his sudden interest. “Don’t all scars have stories, Mando?” 

She wasn’t embarrassed about how she got the scar or why. But it was personal and it was her business and she wasn’t quite sure she wanted to divulge a piece of herself to her temporary partner, even though she was enjoying his quiet company, and soft voice. 

_It couldn’t be the desire to see what was beneath all that armor_ . Kor’s mind flashed behind her eyes. _Don’t lie to yourself, Kor, puzzles are your favorite thing._ She silently cursed her brain for doing this to her. The more difficult the person, the more she wanted to untangle the mess. Mando was both difficult and mysterious and the pull he exerted without even knowing was turning her inside out. _Yes, you are attracted to a man you can’t even see, that’s the stage of life you’ve reached._ Even her mind was a fucking sarcasm machine. 

She sucked in air and exhaled, as she shook her head, so softly that she thought he wouldn’t pick up on it. 

She was a fool. 

“You don’t have to tell me. But it’s…” he paused, and Kor wondered why he was searching for the words. “It’s a tough looking scar. It suits you.” 

The words and the low light of the ship coupled with the comforting white noise and hum of hyperspace seemed to settle something in her stomach. She turned toward him, her body tense, but open, trying to explain something she’d never really shared with anyone else. 

“My step-father did it, right before I left Tralus.” It tumbled out, her eyes staring out the window, the feeling of that day still raw somewhere inside her where she tried to make it not matter anymore. The girl who got the scar wasn’t the woman in front of him, and she didn’t want there to be any confusion about what she went through to get from there to here. 

“Your step-father?” 

Kor nodded and continued, noticing that Mando turned to her directly, obviously interested in where she was taking her story.

“My mother was a courtesan. She had me when she was older, her usefulness in service having waned. She had gotten pregnant by some twist of fate and was released from the master she served. The man that I knew as my stepfather took her in. He loved her beauty but grew to resent her past. My mother was a kind person with a big heart. People gravitated to her. Yes, she was beautiful, but her soul was even more so.” Kor stilled. 

“I’m sorry.” He held up his hand as if in retreat. “You don’t have to say anymore.” 

“It’s okay, it doesn’t bother me to tell you that she died. Death is the natural end to life, Mando. I honor her by living on my own terms.” 

Mando nodded, his posture relaxed, his helmet staring straight at her. “Go on, then.” His voice was smooth and gentle and Kor realized that it wasn’t that he didn’t like talking, he just wanted it to have a purpose. 

“He was a jealous and angry man. There was no way she could have known, and once she was with him, she felt it was too late. He grew to hate my mother for her past, and he hated me by extension. He hated that people looked at me when I walked into town, hated my kindness, and hated that I had a natural way with people - just like my mother did.”

Kor stretched, her body reeling from the feeling of unburdening herself and continued. 

“My mother, she knew I was leaving. There was nothing left for me in our tiny outpost. I wanted to be anywhere but there. She knew I wanted more for life, and I knew that whatever I did, I’d survive whatever the galaxy threw at me. I suppose it came at me much sooner than she would have thought.

“He tracked me down at a boarding house, the night before I was due to leave for Canto Bight. I am sure he thought I was sleeping with some town boy, but that was the furthest thing from my mind. A friend off-moon had a job for me, and was also willing to train me to be a bodyguard. It sounded all too exciting for a girl from a tiny backwater skughole and let me be honest, it was a terrible job, but at the time, it was the only thing on my mind.” 

Mando’s let out a restrained laugh. “You don’t look exactly like a Canto Bight type of person.” 

“Are you saying I don’t like the finer things in life, Mando?” Kor’s eyes widened, offense marking her face.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant! Mando huffed. “It’s just that you don't seem like a rich gambler.” 

Kor blinked, her legs unfurling as she reached out a hand, placing it on his chair. “I’m messing with you. I am _not_ a Canto Bight type of gal!” Her eyes twinkled. Even when she told a dead serious story she couldn’t help being a little mischievous. 

“You are a mystery, Kor Shinte.” Mando relaxed back. “So I assume since you are here, and you were in Canto Bight, you got off that moon?”

“Yeah, but just barely. To this day, I don’t know if he thought he was saving me, but his goal was to make sure that no one would want me, and that the world wouldn’t see past the gash. I don’t think he thought beyond making sure the outer part of me was forever scarred.

“It was late at night, and I had just settled into sleep, my pack all ready, my fresh new clothes laid out for my new life. Seems silly now when I say it outloud. He burst in, drunk, seething, and I did my best to fight, but I hadn’t even learned to hold a knife properly, and he outweighed me.”

Kor could see Mando tense across from her, his arms gripping the armrests. 

“No, _nothing_ like that. I’ve _always_ had a survival instinct.” Kor solemnly spoke. “But he held me down and there was nothing I could do but scream into the side of the pillow as he dug the blade in, dirty and rough. At the time, all I could think about was my eye. I shut it so tight as if closing it off to the world could save it. By some luck, it was spared.

“What upset me most was that I had to use my brand new clothes to soak the blood up. There was so much of it. I was only 20. It was a hack job, but it was deep, and I knew it would be infected if I didn’t patch it up quickly. That’s why it's not smooth. Luckily the woman running the boarding house had a little bacta and a cauterizer. I fixed it myself by using a mirror. When I got to the city, my friend helped me patch it up a little more, but this is what I was left with.” Kor gestured, her finger tracing the scar from top to bottom. 

“I never told my mother, and she was spared seeing the damage he inflicted. She died shortly after I left.” Kor rubbed her hands together, the memory still painful when he surfaced. 

“Maker… _atin’la_.” He breathed out, the modulation making it seem shakier than Kor would have anticipated. She saw his hand move toward her, as if he was going to offer something more, and she stilled to see just what would happen, the anticipation making the air feel heady and thick in the small space. As quickly as the gesture began, Kor saw his hand return to its place, like it had never moved. 

“Truth is, I’ve pulled more because of this than I think I ever would have without it.” She leaned into his space a bit and whispered slyly, like she was sharing the biggest secret she had with him. The scar _was_ a conversation piece and it certainly was the first thing people asked about. But he was the first person to hear the truth of it.

“It reminds me I am my mother’s daughter. She taught me everything I know about people and her lessons have never failed me.”

“Like what?” Kor realized that Mando’s legs were slack, his body in rare relaxation. 

She was surprised that he asked, but since it seemed like a rarity for him to push a subject, she continued, postured shifted, her body loose as she stilled her mind and focused her eyes and energy on the man in front of her. 

“Have you ever stopped to think that some jobs are better suited for a woman, _Mandalorian?”_ The last word rolled off her tongue, slow and dream-like, her boot casually pressing against his own.

He didn’t move away as she let the tip of her boot trace upward slightly, and she felt the strong line of his calf. 

“What do you mean?” His voice hoarse and uncertain, like he was sorry he even asked.

That stillness - the moment where someone was caught off-guard, that, her mother had taught her was when a person was their most open. Keep the spell going, and you could make magic, in whatever way you wished. 

“I could tell you…or...” She softly moaned, her eyes looking up behind soft lashes, want projecting across the small space.

Kor realized that Mando caught himself because he pulled his leg back up and almost instantly, the fleeting openness disappeared into the dark, thin air of the Crest. 

She leaned back, crossing her legs slowly, her eyes never leaving his sight line. 

“Stop that.” 

“Stop what?” She asked innocently. 

“That.” He huffed, his hand pointing directly at her face shaking it up and down. 

Kor laughed and relaxed, her body resettling into a more comfortable pose in her chair, shifting the tension and backing off. In revealing herself, she learned something about the Mandalorian as well. He wasn’t unkind, or unfeeling. And Kor was very certain that underneath all that armor, was a man who had _needs_. 

“I was just showing you -- you asked.” 

He sighed. “I did.” Mando gestured to the navicomp. “We’re about an hour out, I’ll be dropping soon.” 

Kor nodded. “I’ve got a few weapons I want to ready. Is there room downstairs?”

“Don’t touch anything down there,” came the annoyed reply. Kor had never seen someone so able to open and close so quickly.

She took that as a yes. Rising from her seat, she couldn’t help but leave him with a parting thought. 

“You know Mando, all people want to do is be seen. Really seen.” She paused and pushed out the last words with all the intent she could manage, “Even those that hide the most.” 

She didn’t wait for his reaction as she slid down the ladder. She silently cursed herself for playing such a dangerous game with someone she barely knew. 

\---

Biitu was just as it was documented on the Holonet; he had landed in a clearing in the thick forest to keep a low profile. Kor had stayed down in the cargo hold, and when he descended from the cockpit, he found her reassembling her rifle. 

The fobs had increased their urgency, so he knew they’d lucked out. He kept an eye on their ever blinking lights, sometimes moving in concert with each other. They were exactly where they were supposed to be and if they were lucky, they’d be back in Nevarro in no time. 

He knew that the less time he spent in Kor Shinte’s orbit, the better. She was distracting, infuriating, and way too forward. 

_She’s tough and bright._ Mando gritted his teeth, trying to force his mind to stop its betrayal. Her story had impacted him more than he wanted to admit. It had enraged him. He had thought to perhaps offer a touch of comfort, but had thought better of it. He wasn’t even sure if it was the right thing to do - he normally avoided any sort of emotional entanglements and a woman like Kor was an ache he couldn’t afford to have. 

And yet when he looked at her, happily absorbed with readying her weapons, he couldn’t help but feel an uncharacteristic warmth in his chest. He’d felt this before, when he was much younger. But he had allowed that feeling to die inside him, tapped down by the weight of his armor, the duty he felt, and the fact she had, like Kor, been an outsider. Duty to the Creed had always come first. 

_Just get through the job and get as far away from her as possible. Don’t look, don’t look! How can she re-assemble a weapon so fast? She definitely could best me in a fight. She’s beautiful, too. Stop that. Osik..._

Kor’s bright voice broke through his thoughts. 

“It looks like there is a small settlement about ten clicks north. There is a road that seems to end around this rocky enclave, here,” she pointed toward the map as his helmet followed her finger. “If we follow the road through the forest, it should provide us adequate cover. The settlement looks recently cleared so I am going to bet that’s where they are.” 

“What about this?” He pointed to what looked to be a deep, thin, ravine between the settlement and where they had landed.

“So about that...it’s an illusion. I cross-referenced this map with recent pictures. It looks like it was meant to discourage travelers on this particular route. Which must be why this lot chose the spot. There is no ravine. Just a stream.” She pulled out a datapad, showing an actual picture of the coordinates, a spit of water that was barely anything. 

“Seems like you’ve got it all figured out, Shinte.” He smiled under his helmet, hoping she’d catch the intent. 

“I usually do, Mando.” She packed up the map and grabbed her weapon. “So, you ready to bust some heads?” 

He hit a button on his vambrace, the ramp opening up to lush, verdant terra. He watched her survey the small patch of land, eyes ever scanning, the bright light catching her face, and dark hair. He felt that uncomfortable feeling rise again, threatening his resolution. 

_Focus._

“Come on, Shinte, this planet only has six hours of daylight, but I am sure you knew that already.”

She turned, her smile reaching her eyes. “Of course I did.”

\--

“So what’s the situation?” She reached out her hand as he gave her a pair of binoculars and settled down on the ground beside him, her elbow brushing against his as she peered down into the direction of the camp. That touch sent a shiver through her - and it was made even worse by the sharp graze of her leg against his as she settled in to get the lay of the camp.   
  
_She cursed her depth perception. It would be the death of her, she was sure._

She knew he had his HUD fixed on the camp, scanning the small set of tents. She was slightly jealous he had such good tech, but the trade-off wasn't worth it.

Other than the four quarries, it looked like no one else was coming and going. They had intentionally set up camp away from the main settlement town, which would work to hunter’s favor. 

“See that far tent to the left? It looks like that’s where they spend most of their time. The smaller tents may be for sleep.” Mando posited. “If we come up from the west side, and down that small hill, there is a covered overhang, we’ll get a better view and we should be able to approach from there.”

“Yeah, I see the two brothers. Those are the Vaals. Ridu and Ceth. They look like fun.” 

“Fun?” 

“Don’t you enjoy your job, Mando? I’ve got plans for those two.” She caught the slight turn of Mando’s helmet, his surprise evident at calling him out. If a job wasn’t fun, what was the point?

“Oh, no one looks happy today. Ceth is yelling and gesturing wildly at the Zabrak, and Ridu seems to be having problems with the piece of shit speeder they’ve somehow gotten.”

“Not worried about their personal problems.” Mando grunted. 

“So what’s the plan, then?”

Mando was calibrating his vambrace as he laid out their attack vectors. “You take the brothers, I”ll get the other two. Get them in the center of the camp, where they can’t pull anything out of the tents. Keep eyes on me, take one each quickly so we only have to deal with the last two. You have two sets of cuffs?” 

Kor nodded, not even wanting to make a joke right before they jumped into a potential melee. “Always do, Mando.”

“Alright then. Let’s go.”

They approached as quietly as possible, their bodies close, eyes locked on each side of the camp. Kor loved and loathed the proximity to him, and channeled all that urgent adrenaline to the task at hand. 

She crawled up the small hill near the bigger tent, her blaster drawn.

She skirted against the edge. Mando was behind her and she signaled for him to go around, so he could wrangle the other two bounties. She kept her eyes locked on his helmet as he got into position, hidden a few feet away from the Zabrak.

Her pulse quickened as she tightened her grip on her blaster. 

She inched forward, assessing both Mando and the position of her marks. A beat, a breath, and a hand motion and then all hell broke loose. 

In tandem, they made themselves known, a tenuous advantage before the quarries got their wits about them, and drew their blasters. 

“Hi boys.” Kor held her blaster tight and close to her targets. “Are we gonna do this easy, or are you going to make me work for it?” 

“A woman! They sent a woman.” The brothers laughed. 

She rolled her eyes. Like she hadn’t heard that before. 

Kor wasn’t surprised when they lunged. She got off a warning shot to show them she meant business, the shot going straight in the space between their two bodies. 

In her slight line, she saw Mando had subdued the Zabrak, who just seemed happy to not have to fight. 

Her heart raced as she ducked, leg sweeping down to connect with Ceth’s ankle, and she kicked, hard, knocking him off balance, the thud of his thick body falling on the rough ground temporary satiety. She kicked his blaster far away and ground her boot into his one knee to buy some time. 

Ridu took her position as an advantage, and aimed his blaster. She rolled, but the unmistakable burn of blaster fire grazed her shoulder. She gritted her teeth and leaped up, blood dripping down her arm. 

“Oh, that’s how it is?” She bared her teeth. “Let’s go, then.” Kor ran toward him, vibroblade drawn. 

“Come on pretty lady…” He gasped roughly

Kor jumped, her hands quickly finding their home around his neck, blade pressed tight. She used her body weight to force him off his feet, his balance faltering as she pressed a hard knee into his groin, a satisfying gurgle coming from Ridu’s mouth. 

“Tsk.” Her voice humming in satisfaction as she got cuffs on him. “Didn’t even break a sweat.” She pushed him down on the ground, gesturing to Mando, who let out his grappling hook to keep him down and subdued. 

“Mando, behind you!” she shouted. The Klatoonian was returning from behind a small tent, rifle in hand. She aimed her blaster in his direction, but the bounty got a shot off, denting his pauldron but otherwise not stopping Mando as he advanced with no fear. 

“Shit.” She grunted, as the air was knocked out of her.

Ceth. 

Kor tussled with him, his grip tight across her chest and then her neck, her air forced out as she worked to gain purchase on something as he lifted her up off the ground.

“You must be the smart one,” she growled as she wound her foot up behind his knee, her hand loose enough to grab hard into his unprotected groin, the surprise attack making him release his grip between the kick and punch. 

She turned quickly, her boot connecting with his chest as a way to get some distance from him. 

Reaching for her blaster, she saw Mando pushing the Klatoonian toward the other two cuffed quarries, his chest plate askew, but otherwise intact. 

“Give it up, Ceth Vaal.” She breathed heavily. “This is what happens when they send a woman after you.” She gave him one last kick to his side, his body falling back onto the ground. 

“You bitch!” He spat. 

She stood over him, her boot on his neck. Swiftly, she grabbed his hands, and placed the cuffs on them, much tighter than Ridu’s. 

“Yes, and don’t you ever forget it.” She hissed, staring him straight in the eye. 

She looked up just in time to see Mando’s helmet focused on her. Her eyes wild and feral, she breathed heavily, the pain in her arm coming back into focus as he reached out, his gloved hand connecting with her shoulder, the touch so light and so tender, she trembled from its sincerity.

Kor nodded solemnly. 

“Let’s get these dirtbags in carbon.”

\---

They were both breathless as they pushed the group up the ramp of the Razor Crest, their collective weight and their insolence making every step feel like slogging through tar. He didn’t want to admit it, but the Klatoonian exhausted him, and the fight that ensued had exposed his chest, a weakness in his armor that he’d have to remedy. 

Kor’s left arm was almost limp, the blood loss obvious. She was putting up a good fight, but he could see she was pushing past exhaustion, her good arm helping the bad one. 

He was in awe of her ruthlessness. She had given as good as she got, and even when cornered, she found the weakness in her opponent to subdue him. 

And the way she looked. He had seen the heady fierceness in her eyes, her boot on the quarry’s neck, her legs flexing just enough to ensure he knew she had meant business. 

It took all his willpower not to pull her into him right then and there, to feel those legs around him, all dangerous edges and want. 

“You got enough carbon for this lot.” Kor shouted over the grunts and yells of the group. 

“More than enough.” Mando held a blaster up. He didn’t usually freeze a number of people at once, and he really didn’t want blaster fire in the Crest, but he wanted the threat to be enough. 

“Do him first.” Kor sneered, pointing to Ceth. 

“You heard the woman.” Mando grunted, kicking Ceth into the freezing unit, the hiss of carbon silencing his protests. The other three fell in line, and after the last blast, there was nothing but blissful quiet, the forest coming alive with the dusk creatures, the air cool and clear. 

Mando left the cargo door open as Kor sat on the ramp, her eyes darting around to look at the small bioluminescent birds that populated the planet. 

“You’re hurt.” He gestured to her shoulder where blaster fire had grazed her. 

“Occupational hazard, Mando. Kind of expected it with four of them, no matter how great I am. You’ve got a med-kit around here?”

“Yeah, I got something.” He stood and rifled around in the small locker near his weapons closet. He was lucky to have some antiseptic and some batca patches that he hoped still had some power to them. Better than nothing. 

“Let me…”

“Don’t be foolish, you can’t even reach it.” 

She let her shoulder sag, a quick nod his way giving him permission. 

“You’ve got to take this off.” He touched her jacket lightly. There was no way around it, the material had singed and without it completely off, he’d never clean the wound properly

“Yeah, hold on.” She unzipped the leather jacket, revealing a black tank top underneath, giving him access to her shoulder, but also an expanse of skin he wasn’t prepared for. He saw her chest heave as she breathed deeply, waiting for him to start. 

He wrapped his fingers around her arm to still her, the shoulder rolling heat off of it, the antiseptic sizzling and steaming as it hit the char. He worked quickly, letting the air get to it before he situated a batca patch over the wound, securing it in place. The air around him felt damp and heavy, his fingers lingering on her arm, touching her as softly as he could manage. 

Kor stared at him, her eyes lust-dark, her bare hand coming to meet his, their fingers intertwining. Mando’s body shifted as if his whole system was warning him to stop. 

“So, how does it look now?” She breathed out, her gaze going from their hands to his helmet.

He pulled his hand away, the ache feeling like a gut punch. It wasn’t right, the two of them. _He shouldn’t._

“Like new. Come on, let’s get out of here.” 

\---

Kor stared at him, studying his seemingly cool exterior. They’d taken damage - he discarded his chest armor as it was hanging by a thread and her bacta patch was hanging on for dear life. She had cut the good side of her face, and his left pauldron was clearly dented from the impact of a blaster. And after the moment in the cargo hold, she was damn sure he was feeling what she was feeling - it wasn’t just the rush of winning a hard won fight, but something much more primal.

Mando _wanted_ her. 

And yet, he settled into the pilot’s seat as if he’d just picked up crates of plants from Endor. 

“That was…” Still coming off her high, her body vibrating, fingers tingling from the burn of the kickback of her blaster, lightheaded and tingly from the blood loss. She forgot how thrilling it could be to let her rage loose, to fight like there was no tomorrow. It made her feel alive, every atom in her body thrumming with life. 

“..a job.” His head moved slightly as he entered what she presumed were coordinates back to Nevarro. 

Kor was unmoved by his blasé air. She had been in awe that no matter how hard the group came at them, he never gave up and never gave in. It settled something deep in her core to see a man so singularly focused on a task. The thought of him singularly focused on something else made her thighs clench, and she tried to chase that feeling down and out of her body. 

_Take it slow, Kor, you’ll scare him_ , she repeated in her head, a mantra for her to keep her cool. 

“Come on Mando. That wasn’t just a job. That was a class-A ass-kicking. Are you so jaded that a good fight doesn’t give you a bit of a ...thrill? Her eyes focused on his helmet, her gaze steely and determined to capture his attention as she ran her fingers between his armor-clad shoulder and vambrace. 

“What are you doing?” His helmet remained dead focused ahead, but she could feel the muscle underneath her fingers move slightly, the slightest of hitches as his tone lifted all breathy and static through the modulator. Kor knew bodies could betray willpower. 

She laughed and threw her head back. “To the victor go the spoils…” She smiled, her leg insinuating itself between his slightly spread knees. 

“Move.” The word was weak-willed, small - an invitation to challenge. 

Kor shook her head slowly. “Make me.” She ran her hands up in between his vambrace and pauldrons, wrapping her hands around his arms and pressing into the folds of his tactical shirt as she leaned down. “I don’t think you want me to move, Mando.” 

She held herself there, her instincts telling her she was crazy to be assuming so much about his want, but she could all but smell the sex in the air, the waves of desire humming as loud as bombs in the tight space of the cockpit. 

The leather gloves hands shot out, gripping her hips, stilling her.

“Wait.” 

“What.” She shifted slightly, kneeling in his lap, testing the waters.

“Are you, is this…” He sputtered, equally embarrassed and guarded. 

“No, Mando. This isn’t me playing. I want this.” She ran her hands over his chest, touching the coarse shirt, the heat from his body palatable. “I want _you_.” 

The moment hung in the air, still and tense as the universe moved around them, and Kor breathed softly. “Let me in, Mando.” 

“Kor....” 

She shut her eyes as she rested her hands on his _buy’ce_ , like she was cradling his face. 

Her voice husky with her own need as she whispered, “I can see you, Mando. I can see your lips, parted, slick and wet from want. I can see your eyes, half-lidded as I do this…” She rolled her hips for good measure, her body feeling his length beneath her. “I see the long stretches behind you, all your desire bottled up and hidden for no one to share…

“I see you, in ways you can’t even imagine.” Kor opened her eyes and let her hand snake downward, her fingers grazing his cloth-covered cock, hard and straining against his pants. 

“Shut up.” He growled, the honesty tumbling out of her mouth felt like it was almost too much for him to bear as his hands snaked up her back, pulling her body flush with his. 

“Tell me what you want, Mando. Say it.” 

“Your mouth…” His voice shook from the admission. 

“My mouth is right here,” she leaned down near his helmet. “But where do you want it?”

The crackle of deep modulated breathing hung between them, her hips setting a teasing pace, barely connecting with the hardness below her as she waited for him to make up his mind. She felt one of his hands leave her back, quickly working to unbuckle his belt, and then his pants. 

He pulled out his hard cock, pre-come glistening on the tip. She looked down between their bodies, her forehead resting against his cool helmet, her chest flush and eyes hungry. 

“I want your mouth here, Kor.” He asserted, his fingers fisting the tip of his cock slowly, making him leak. 

“Mando….” She placed her fingers over his, helping him jack off, his neck straining backward from the touch, a hint of skin as the fabric stretched thin. 

“Please…” The cry was strangled and deep.

Kor moved slightly as she took her hand away and lifted her body up, and adjusted herself to kneel in front of him. 

She kept her eyes on him as she grasped the base of his cock, her thumb running down the length, her tongue darting out to catch the slick pre-come before she took him completely, her mouth hot as he filled her. The weight of him, and the sounds she was pulling out of him were intoxicating, her own body aching with need - nipples hard, cunt wet, and body aching for every piece of him she could get. 

She felt him buck, and she dug her fingers into his hip to still him. 

“Patience…” she cooed, her tongue swirling back down, a firm grip on his lower half. 

“Damn…your mouth is amazing. I’ve never… fuck....” 

She moaned, her pace picking up a quickening rhythm. She felt his thighs tense and she knew he was close, his own breathing fast and quick, the helmet lolling side to side, no more words to be said. 

She felt lost in it, the power of making him whimper, the hard cock fighting to get more out of her, Mando squirming as he fisted her hair, caught between pleasure and guilt. 

“I’m close, Kor. I’m gonna come...do you…” She felt him try to lift her head away, but she persisted, her mouth urging him on. 

“Oh Maker…” His voice reverberated off the walls of the cabin, loud whimpers and groans filling the space. 

She felt the hot, salty wetness hit her as she swallowed, her eyes closed as his body fell slack and gave into the raw need of release. She slowed her pace and languidly removed her mouth, licking him clean. 

They breathed hard in the cool air of the ship, the tension not completely relieved, only heightened by their connection. Kor stood, her hands pulling at his armor.

“This needs to come off. Now.” 

“Wait…. I haven’t even kicked us into hyperdrive, yet.” He panted, his clothes askew, cock still out, as she watched him hastily enter in the sequence to engage the auto controls. 

“Are you kidding me?” Kor laughed, but it _was_ practical. She didn’t want to veer off-course or blow up. 

“Is the only cot...” Kor frantically was tossing off her top, her pants, anything to make it go faster. 

“Downstairs.” He stood shakily, his hands reaching out for her bare skin, but she skirted out his grasp.

“Not until you take off some of that armor, Mando.” She fisted a hand in his thick clothing, dying to feel him, to feel as much skin as he would offer her. 

“Not the helmet.” 

Kor knew why. “Of course.” She pushed him back, her body on full display. She knew the figure she cut, in the low red light of the cabin, her body bared for him, completely vulnerable, lips rough-fucked, her breasts plump, nipples hard, her round thighs shaking, the soft swell of her stomach as her breath came out labored and thick, the slick wetness visible as she lifted her foot onto the captain's chair, her thigh splayed to the side, her fingers tracing down into her slit, groaning as she closed her eyes and sunk into her own pleasure, wet and wanton. 

“Come get me, _verd_.” She demanded, as she made a bee-line through the door and down the ladder, all but begging him to follow.

She loved the chase, no matter how small the space was. She eagerly waited for Mando as she eyed the cot, barely enough for one, but it would do. Mando hastily followed, all but jumping down to the cargo hold, his helmet turned to her as he carefully took off his armor and under clothes, methodical, like there was an order to even this. 

She could tell there was an element of nervousness in his ministrations, and she moved into his space to quell any worry. 

“I like watching you.” She reached out to help him with his undershirt, his breath hitching and ragged as she drew close, their bare skin meeting for the first time. 

_You're safe with me._ She wanted to say. 

“More, Kor…” 

“What are you doing?” His helmet leaning on her good shoulder, She dug her hands into his hips, the heady forbiddenness of the touch driving her insane. 

“Feeling you.” A bare hand pushed her thighs apart, and she moaned as two thick smooth fingers swirled into her wetness, playfully dipping into her folds. 

“Hmm, maker, your hands…”

“So wet, you are absolutely dripping…”

“For you…” She grabbed his neck as he rubbed his thumb over her clit, her body shuddering from the intensity of the touch as she pressed two fingers inside her, her legs struggling to keep her upright. 

“The way you sound…” He growled, his fingers pushing deeper inside her as she held onto him, her mind reeling at how unhinged she felt from him finally inside of her. 

“Cot, now.” She eked out as she pushed him toward the small room, his legs hitting the top of the cot. She grabbed his helmet lightly, her lips pressing against the dark of the visor. 

“Lay down.” Her tone was firm as she pressed her hands against his chest. 

Mando fell back, his arms pulling her toward him, and she pressed her full weight against him, bare skin touching _everywhere_ , sweat forming as their limbs scrambled, the fullness of their bodies moving together causing them to groan.

“You’re bossy,” Kor could hear the playfulness in his retort, and she loved hearing him unguarded, under her, and ready for more. 

Kor shook her head, her eyes narrowing as she felt his hands reach for her. 

“No, Mando. I’m a boss.” 

She straddled him and his hands moved to cradle her heavy breasts, fingers grazing over her nipples as his hands moved down to explore more of her body, making her shiver from his possessive touch. It felt like worship, his hands memorizing every curve and indent, the touch reverent across scars and soft skin, her body well used in battle and in love. 

She brought her own fingers up to her nipples, rolling them in time with her hips as she felt him harden under him, giving him a private show. She keened as she teased herself, riding the edge of pain and pleasure. She knew what she must look like to him, writhing above him, lost in her own pleasure as she used his body. 

“Do you like watching me, Mando?” Her eyes were heavy as she teased herself against his cock, the electric sensations of her ministrations making her hot all over as her wetness slicked him, and she reached down to spread herself, teasing her folds against his thickness.

“Come here…” 

She leaned down, her breasts dangerously close to his visor as he grabbed her tightly around her hips, his hands cautiously palming the soft mounds of her ass. 

She smirked, her body shifting so he could grab her more solidly as she pressed her breasts against the visor fully, a tease fulfilled. 

“Take what you’d like…” She spread her legs further, his fingers dipping down to explore the ring of muscle, the thought of him doing more to her driving her wild, her thighs dripping as he teased the tight hole. 

“You really like that…” the sound of surprise in his voice a thrill and challenge all at once. 

“I like _everything_ , Mando.”

She could hear him swallow deeply, the crackle of the modulations not hiding the deep groan, his cock growing even more rigid as they teased each other, edging toward something darker and deeper in their own fantasies. 

“Kor...if we don’t do something…” 

“Shhh, I’m going to fuck you so good… You gonna let me?” 

“Maker…” He held her hips tightly, the force of it sure to leave a mark. “Now…”

She pressed her forehead against the cool beskar helmet, trying to keep them from both flying apart.

“Is this okay?” She breathed, her eyes baring deep into the black of the visor, willing her gaze to transmit all her want and need straight to him as she wrapped her hand around the base of his cock. 

“It’s more than okay.” He strained as she threw her body back and she guided him into her tight, slick hole. She felt him buck in eagerness. 

“Now, now…” She grinned. “This is my ride, Mando.” 

“ _Kriff_ …” The words hung in the air as she bore down slowly, her thighs shaking as each inch filled her, stretching her, the thickness a pleasant kind of pain. 

“Do you see that?” She panted. “You are fucking filling me, so good…” She shuddered. “Watch us…” Her voice was hoarse and insistent with demand as she put her hands on his thighs, her hands spreading her folds so he could watch his cock as it slid inside her wet core.

Kor moaned as she felt his dick pulse at the visual, and she began to set a building pace, trying to get them both to prolong the pleasure as long as they could stand it. 

“God, you are taking my cock so well, so fucking well…” He panted, and Kor felt his body fighting to maintain its submission as she rode him, showing him exactly what she was doing to his dick. 

“You _do_ like to watch.” She shuddered, as the building sensation of her climax was pulling her toward urgency. 

“Kor, you feel…perfect...fuck, I can’t take it.” The words came out in pants, and the sheen of sweat over them made their movements fluid, slick as she quickened her pace, the need to be closer to him overwhelming her. 

She leaned down, changing the pace and angle of their fucking, his cock hitting her deeper as she canted against him, their arms clinging to each other in desperation. 

The connection was electric, intense, and Kor wasn’t prepared for it. Even though she couldn’t see his eyes, she felt him everywhere, their bodies tightly wound like powder kegs, pressed against each other as she set the pace, his hands steadying her as she drew closer to release. 

“I’m so close, Mando…” She gritted as she ground her cunt into him, rutting in a desperate rhythm.

“Come for me, Kor, show me…” He was slamming her hips down against him, the pace ruthless as she rode him hard. 

“Fuck...” She felt her thighs impossibly damp as she shook. “Mando, Oh Maker… It’s so good, you are so good….” She cried as she rode the waves of her release. 

She shuddered as she felt him buck against her, a hand on her hip as he pulled out. 

“Get on your stomach…” Mando’s words were thick and demanding as she turned over, her ass spread, legs trembling. He pulled her up and felt the welcome stretch of his cock. 

“Please…” She groaned, the loss of him for even a moment drove her mad. 

“My turn…” He whispered as he pressed himself all the way in, impossibly slow so she could feel him everywhere. 

Kor hummed as he grabbed her hips, his hands spreading her, and she knew he was getting off to seeing her ass up high, his cock plunging in and out of her swollen hole.

“Yeah... you like that, don’t you?” Kor straightened her arms, looking back at him. “You can see everything… my tight cunt taking you, my round ass… Bet you can’t wait to fuck that other hole…” 

“You’ve got a dirty mouth... “ He ground out. 

“You’ve got no idea, Mando…” She kept her eyes fixed to him, feeling his body stiffen, as he ground his hips into her backside. 

“So good, so good… he murmured, pumping himself and filling her as she shuddered. “Your cunt is making me come so hard…”

“Come on, Mando, let it all out…” She purred, rocking back onto him, her back against his as he rode out the last sensations, his hands holding her up as they stilled, their bodies not moving from each other, trying to make the moment last, her body holding him inside for as long as she could, as their breath and bodies stilled in the tiny confines of the room.

 _You’re safe._ She thought, and as he tightened around her, she swore he knew it. 

\---

They had settled down into a mess of tangled limbs, their bodies slowly returning to the world. Their breathing had evened out, and he felt no need to move away from her. The threadbare sheet provided little cover, but he didn’t mind, and she didn’t seem to, either. 

In the darkness, he trailed a bare finger down her scar, feeling all the ridges, the learned and unlearned lessons, the way the skin reached for the errant pieces of itself, and he crumbled at the thought of the pain inflicted, and the work it took to put it all back together.

Kor stilled, her eyes closed, hand on his chest. “It’s rough.” 

He shook his head slowly. “No, it’s smooth in some places, where the skin has found a way to mend itself.” 

“Hmmm.” He stroked her hair, the braids long unraveled. 

“Do you do this often?” The question sounded worse than he had intended. “I mean, not that you can’t….”

Kor’s lips smiled against his skin. “I know what you mean.” 

There was a beat and he thought she wasn’t going to answer him.

“No, Mando. It’s not something I usually do. Truth is, I’m a bit of a loner.” 

The pieces in his mind clicked. Ah. That’s why she was a bounty hunter. It was a haven for the loners of the galaxy. 

“I see.” He rested his free hand on her back, enjoying the stillness of the moment, her body next to his own, their breathing soft and even. 

It was unsettling how safe he felt with her. He hadn’t felt this sort of peace in a long time, since before...

Kor moved slightly into his touch, not as an invitation, but as a way for them to be that much closer, and his mind shut down the train of thought he was inviting. 

“You know, we don’t have to talk. We can just be here, like this, for a little while longer.” Her eyes were looking up at him, her smile reaching her whole face. 

“I’d like that.” He admitted.

I'm here now.” She ran a hand up to his neck, her fingers lightly caressing the line just under the helmet. “Rest.”

For the first time in a long time, he let his eyes close, and he drifted into a comfortable and warm sleep, a temporary peace for all the factions in his warring body.

  
\---

When he woke, he was alone, but he could hear her moving right outside the small room. He shook himself awake, and began to come to the reality of the last few hours. 

His HUD told him it would only be a little over an hour until they were back in Nevarro’s orbit. 

He peeked out to see Kor, fully dressed, re-arranging her pack, her braids re-done. As if she could sense his presence, her eyes met his. 

“I used the fresher. You need a water heater.” She quipped. “I left some of your clothes inside, thought that be easier for you.”

“Thank you.” He stilled, unsure of what to do, a rarity for him. He dressed quickly, and found the remainder of his armor just outside the room. With each piece reattached, his walls re-emerged, and he stood tall, a balance returned to his body that he didn’t realize he craved.

“Of course. Heading up to the cockpit?” She asked. 

He nodded. “We’re close. Are you joining me?”

“Yeah, love a good landing.” She threw her pack in a corner of the cargo hold and made her way to the ladder. 

Mando followed her, his own mind swirling and found Kor standing in front of the windows, her face lit by the streaks of the stars. 

His heart clenched. She reached out her hand, as if she knew the tumult he felt.

Her hand gripped his and she rubbed the pads of her fingers, as if trying to calm a scared animal. 

“Hey, it’s okay. We’re okay.”

He felt the inevitable sadness of their parting in those words. He knew it could be no other way. 

“Kor...I…” 

She shook her head softly. 

“Don’t.” She breathed, her hand giving a reassuring squeeze before she let go. 

The chirping of a holo-message interrupted them. It was Karga. 

“Mando! Greetings, I’ve heard of your shared success! Drop in at the dock, and we’ll offload the quarries immediately. Good work!”

He heard Kor snicker. “Is he always like that?” 

“You should see him when you don’t bring someone in.” He broke away from her, and took his place in the captain’s chair. 

Mando dropped the ship out of hyperspace, and slowly banked, the dusty orb of Nevarro coming into view. 

He watched her as they made their descent, no words left to be spoken, but so much broken space between them. 

\---

Karga had directed them to meet at a smaller house he used for larger transfers. He hadn’t wanted to attract attention with the amount of credits he was handing over and certainly not the beskar. 

Kor stood beside Mando, neither of them speaking, stock still as they waited for Karga. She was fighting with herself, her heart heavy. 

They hadn’t said a word once they left the ship, both weaving through the crowds to meet at the rendezvous. Kor knew well enough to let a silence stretch, especially if there was nothing she could do about a particular situation. 

She hated goodbyes. She felt awkward and avoided them. But this particular goodbye was unavoidable and it was breaking her into pieces she hadn’t even known could be broken. 

There was always a chance she’d cross paths with him. After all, Guild members ran into each other all the time. 

She wasn’t fooling herself to think that either of them had the ability to sustain whatever happened within the walls of his ship. Their lives were too transient, too uncertain, and she didn’t know how to hold all the feelings that were cascading out of her like a million unfurling tendrils, unable to contain them all at once. She didn’t dare follow those trails to their conclusions either, whatever they may be. 

And she didn’t dare look at him, his body as seemingly as tense as hers, every part of her wanting to break every rule she had about people, work, sex, and lust. She imagined a world where she could be brave enough to be honest, to make things work, or to at least try. She didn’t know if that place existed. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Karga’s entrance. Mando tossed the four fobs onto the table in front of them.

“Perfect, we’ll start off loading.” Karga sent a quick com. “And here, as promised, is your payment.” 

Karga laid out the flan, the blasters and the gleaming ingot of beskar. 

For once, a payment was exactly as it had been promised. Kor beamed, muffling her surprise as best as she could. 

She nodded to Mando, and they split everything as agreed. She could see him pause and wrap his fingers across the beskar, a reverence she’d see on her own skin. 

“Karga…” Mando’s words seemed dry and weary. “Got anything I can take right now?” 

Karga nodded agreeably. “Got an errant rich kid who’s run away from home. Last known location was bordering Wild Space.”

“I’ll take it.” 

Karga tossed the pucked to him and he pocketed it, not even looking at who he’d be tracking. 

Ah, yes, Kor smiled. A workaholic. If she didn’t need time to heal, she would have asked for the same thing. As far away as possible, for as long as possible. It sounded like a shit job. She didn’t envy what he just stepped into. 

Karga waved as he left, murmuring rough words into his comlink. 

Kor finally turned to face him, forcing herself to look at him directly in his visor. She thought this would be easier, not having to see his face. She told herself the best lies, sometimes. 

“You know where to find me.” She ground her boot into the dusty ground, making circles until the dirt turned dark brown under her ministrations. 

Mando stepped closer, and he wrapped his hands around her waist, surprising her. 

“Do I?” 

“Hmmm.” She stilled her hands over his, gently running her bare hand over his gloved one. “The galaxy isn’t that big.” 

She had to go. It made absolutely no sense to stick around. If he followed, that was on him. 

He tilted his helmet slightly, and she smiled, her hands resting on the sides of his helmet, her fingers brushing against it softly. 

“See you when I see you, Mando.” 

She dropped her hands, her heart clenching as she walked out of the small hut into the mid-day crowd, and resisted the urge to look back. She didn’t want to know if he was watching her leave, didn’t want to know if she’d see a glint of beskar, a confident stride cutting a path back to her. She didn’t want to feel like a fool for wanting all that, either. 

But most of all, she knew if she did, it would make all her walls come crumbling down. And she wasn’t ready for that. 

She lifted her hood, and secured the scarf around her mouth. She palmed the heavy weight of the flan in her pack, the freedom to go wherever her ship could take her. 

It was the only sure thing in her life. 

She knew Mando could appreciate that. 

The comforting line of her small ship came into view as she rounded the corner. The bacta patch that Mando had put on was tugging at her skin, and she reached inside her jacket to pull it off completely, red-tinged liquid trailing behind. 

“Blood in the cut.” She whispered to herself, her eyes staring back at the patch, her body aching, her sense memory sending a pulsing shiver through her at what was, and what she thought may never be again. 

Kor knew that it would be a while before she healed completely. 

-end-

  
  
  
  



End file.
